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LOS ANGELES — In partnership with the Aquarium of the Pacific and the U.S. Geological Survey, the Los Angeles Zoo released 653 endangered southern mountain yellow-legged frogs into the San Gabriel Mountains, marking a major milestone for local wildlife conservation.
The release happened on two separate days, according to the L.A Zoo. All the frogs sent out into the wild were bred at the L.A. Zoo, with 227 of those frogs raised inside the facility’s brand new bio-secure amphibian headstarting facility.
On Aug. 18, 338 frogs were released to streams in their native habitat, followed by a second release of 315 frogs on Aug. 27. The two releases adds to the nearly 7,000 L.A. Zoo-bred frogs that have been sent out into the wild since the inception of the Southern Mountain Yellow-legged Frog Recovery Program, according to zoo officials.
“Seeing our new headstarting facility transition from a concept to a fully operational reality is a monumental milestone for the recovery of the southern mountain yellow-legged frog,” L.A. Zoo Curator of Ectotherms Byron Wusstig said in a statement.
“By raising these sensitive amphibians in a specialized, temperature-controlled environment, we are significantly increasing their chances of survival,” Wusstig added. “Returning 227 robust frogs to the San Gabriel Mountains is a direct result of this expanded capacity and the tireless dedication of our collaborative team.”
The amphibian headstarting facility was built into a renovated space at the zoo’s Children’s Discovery Center. The new facility is outfitted with specialized tanks and life support systems that provide optimal water quality.
This dedicated environment empowers the zoo’s animal care team to oversee the species from the exact moment they are bred and hatch, giving the tadpoles a crucial “headstart” to morph and reach a robust size before they enter the wild, according to zoo officials.
By allowing the tadpoles to mature on-site, the frogs can be released at a larger and more developed life stage to ensure they are less susceptible to predation and other natural challenges of survival in the wild.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the southern mountain yellow-legged frog as endangered. This species lives in perennial streams in select areas of the San Gabriel, San Bernardino, and San Jacinto Mountains.
They are a medium-sized amphibian, measuring about 1.5 to 3.25 inches on average. Adult frogs have a mix of brown and yellow coloring but can also be grey, red, or greenish-brown, usually with dark spots or splotches, a form of cryptic coloration. These spots can look like lichen or moss and make the frog appear camouflaged.
The belly and underside of the back legs, and sometimes the front legs, are yellow or light-orange. This gives the frog part of its common name, “yellow-legged.”
Conservation of this frog species will continue in the fall.
Later in September, approximately 112 tadpoles bred at the L.A. Zoo will transfer to the Santa Ana Zoo for ongoing care. The Southern Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog Recovery Program is a collaborative endeavor, formed under the leadership of the U.S. Geological Survey between the Los Angeles Zoo, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The partnership has since grown to include the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, the Santa Ana Zoo, Big Bear Alpine Zoo and the Birch Aquarium, with more partners joining in the near future.
The public can view the uniquely camouflaged southern mountain yellow-legged frog at the L.A. Zoo’s Living Amphibian, Invertebrate, and Reptile exhibit during normal operating hours.
